Best free parental control software for PC, Mac, iOS, and Android

Posted:
Wednesday, December 5, 2018 1:38 PM EST

By Jon Martindale

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Proper parenting isn’t easy in the digital age. There was once a time, prior to the internet, when a social network strictly referred to you and your band of cohorts, when “following” someone was considered illegal, and when the only pornographic images available lined the glossy interior of publications like Playboy and Penthouse.

Most kids these days are well versed in the tech-savvy art of computing. Many of us wouldn’t mind a little assistance when it comes to curtailing cyberbullying, blocking inappropriate websites, or simply limiting our children’s’ computer usage, which for many, now hovers around eight hours a day. Thankfully, there is plenty of free parental control software available to help.

Built-in OS features

Although giving your kids technology designed for their age group is a good step to keeping them safe online, when they have access to more general computing devices, you can leverage parental control features built right into the operating system. The parental controls for both Windows and MacOS provide a convenient and acceptable means for restricting Web access and chat functionality, along with viewing detailed logs and monitoring email exchanges.

Windows Family Safety

This approach may be a little complicated, but it comes with a variety of benefits. You get activity reports for all online activity from the child accounts, and can block any apps, games or sites that you want.

You can also limit how much time they spend on the account, and strictly control their purchasing activity. There’s also some real-world safety features including the ability to track your kids’ location as long as you use Windows mobile devices.

MacOS built-in parental controls

Riley Young/Digital Trends

MacOS touts more than a few options when it comes to parental controls, each of which is accessible via the “Parental Controls”pane housed within the main System Preferences panel. The software includes options for blocking specified applications and websites. You can also block messaging with particular people you deem unworthy or inappropriate. Parental controls must be set individually for each person, but once done, users can also set time limits.

There are other options, such as the ability to hide profanity in most source content, and users can additionally prohibit the computer’s built-in camera and disc-burning utilities. If there’s more than one Mac on a single network, users can even remotely manage said parental controls from a different computer entirely. It’s a fairly comprehensive solution if you don’t mind spending some time in Mac settings making sure everything is set up correctly. The catch is that you can only manage parental controls by user, so you’ll need to set up separate accounts for each child.

Apps and extensions

Window and Mac OS X offer a decent selection of parental controls, but they can’t do it all by default. In the same vein, parental control can be a challenge to set up on child-focused mobile devices. Here are downloadable programs that may be more suited to your particular goals.

Qustodio has a very clean, easy-to-use interface that allows you to sign up for the free version of its software in moments. You manage everything from the dashboard, which includes social media monitoring, individual time limits for internet use, games or apps, and the ability to track text messages and calls on the right devices. The real-time internet filter can detect pornography, and makes sure that everything is blocked, even in private browsing modes.

Compatibility options are impressive, since the software supports Kindle and Nook, as well as Windows, MacOS, Android, and iOS. However, Qustodio is trying to make as much money as possible with this program, so many features (like game blocking, location tracking, etc.) are locked behind paywalls. You can also only use the free version on a single device, which limits its applicability. This is a great set of features, we just wish more of it was available for free.

FamilyShield is a free, powerful parental control tool focused on the practical lives of kids. As a result, FamilyShield is both easy to download and provides a lot of unique features. That includes protection for Internet-connected game consoles, like Xbox One, automatic fraud blocking, and automatic blocking of proxy servers that might be used to get around parental controls.

The service also uses automatic updates to ban adult and violent websites as they appear. The catch here is that you have to set up your router to be compatible with OpenDNS, which involves a little technical work, and some testing to make sure everything is compatible. Fortunately, the online guides are very helpful.

Kidlogger is a great option if you’d prefer to be covert instead of proactive. Instead of blocking sites, Kidlogger automatically tracks keystrokes and web history, as well as program use (and it automatically saves any screenshots taken on the computer). When installed on a smartphone, the app also automatically logs any phone calls made, by number and by contact name. It is compatible with popular destinations like Instagram and Discord, where parents may want to pay close attention, and updates continue to add new compatibility for the service.

The free version of Kidlogger is OK, but the premium versions add some oomph, though some of its features are downright invasive. If you want to monitor your child’s phone conversations and record WhatsApp messages, Kidlogger can do that. Unfortunately, the app doesn’t have native password protection, so if you’ve got a smart kid, you could end up getting caught (ironically). The app is available for Windows, MacOS, Android, BlackBerry, and iOS. Like Qustodio, a free account limits you to one device, while paid versions offer more protection.

Zoodles takes the dramatic step of replacing the entire web-browser with one built around children. Specifically good for really young kids just getting to grips with accessing content online, Zoodles combines a filtered online experience with a walled garden of promoted, child-friendly content.

Available on a variety of devices and operating systems, Zoodles offers games, books, videos, and access to other age-appropriate content, all customizable by parents. There are activity reports to see what your child spends time doing, as well as an adjustable “recommender engine” which helps parents promote certain learning tools to their children through the application.

No matter if you use the free version with basic features, or the more advanced “premium” edition, Zoodles is a great tool for younger children (older kids will quickly learn to work around it). Note that Zoodles is currently in the middle of creating a new “Kid Mode” with updated approach and features, and you can try these features out with a free trial. The Zoodles product download page is here.

FoxFilter is designed to provide users with a score of blocking filters based solely on individual keywords and sites (i.e. Playboy, lingerie, nude), while offering solutions for adding trusted sites to a curated list of exempt content. Moreover, the add-on’s sensitivity settings can be tweaked to scan body content as well as the title and URL, and users can set notification and alert preferences detailing the type of content underlying each blocked site.

This preference managing is great for blocking a range of websites and one of the fastest options to get up and running, but inexperienced users may want to stick with the pre-formatted list of warning words. Add the wrong keywords, or too many keywords, and you may find nearly every website blocked. FoxFilter does offer free email support, so if you encounter any issues don’t hesitate to contact them.